Atherosclerosis
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Whether adverse effect of statins on glycaemic indices is common to all statins remains controversial and as yet data for pitavastatin are limited. We sought to assess the effects of pitavastatin on glycaemia and new-onset diabetes (NOD) in non-diabetic individuals using data from RCT pooled together by means of a meta-analysis. ⋯ In the present meta-analysis pitavastatin did not adversely affect glucose metabolism or diabetes development compared with placebo or other statins.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Supplementation with two probiotic strains, Lactobacillus curvatus HY7601 and Lactobacillus plantarum KY1032, reduces fasting triglycerides and enhances apolipoprotein A-V levels in non-diabetic subjects with hypertriglyceridemia.
Previous studies have indicated that supplementation with probiotics might improve lipid metabolism. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of supplementation with probiotic strains Lactobacillus curvatus (L. curvatus) HY7601 and Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) KY1032 on triglyceride (TG) and apolipoprotein A-V (apo A-V) levels. ⋯ The consumption of two probiotic strains for 12 weeks reduced TGs and increased the apo A-V and LDL particle size in hypertriglyceridemic subjects. This effect was more pronounced in subjects with higher levels of fasting TGs regardless of their APOA5 -1131T > C genotype.
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Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and carotid plaque (CP) are proposed biomarkers of subclinical atherosclerosis associated with stroke risk. Whether cIMT and CP are distinct phenotypes or single traits at different stages of atherosclerotic development is unclear. We explored the relationship between these markers in the population-based Northern Manhattan Study. ⋯ Increased cIMT was associated with baseline prevalent plaque but did not predict incident plaque independent of other vascular risk factors. This finding suggests that increased cIMT is not an independent predictor of plaque development although these atherosclerotic phenotypes often coexist and share some common vascular determinants.
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Advanced fibrosis associates with atherosclerosis in subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) with advanced fibrosis usually has a deteriorated prognosis, which was mainly attributed to cardiovascular cause. We investigated whether advanced fibrosis assessed by noninvasive fibrosis markers was associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in NAFLD patients. ⋯ Advanced fibrosis indicated by NFS was positively associated with CIMT, presence of carotid plaque and arterial stiffness in the NAFLD patients, independent of conventional cardiometabolic risk factors and insulin resistance.
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Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) is the leading cause of death in women as in men, although presentation in women is on average 7-10 years later. Recent temporal trends show declining IHD incidence and mortality among men but not among women. Other gender differences concern the prevalence of underlying mechanisms. ⋯ After adjustments, in-hospital mortality after acute myocardial infarction is reported to remain higher among younger women compared to male peers. Such female vulnerability, in apparent contrast with the delayed average onset and lesser extent of epicardial atherosclerosis, likely reflects gender differences in early presentation, as well as in mechanisms, prevention, diagnosis, comorbidities, management, and response to treatment. Recognition and quality of care of IHD are still not the same for women and men.